Ladbrokes launched its latest attempt to catch up in the online betting market today, saying it was pondering a takeover of the second largest gambling exchange Betdaq.

The High Street bookie has made several attempts to boost its internet presence since the arrival of Richard Glynn as chief executive in 2010.

There have been mooted deals of various levels of seriousness with 888, Sportingbet, Australia’s Centrebet and Playtech. None came to fruition. Today Ladbrokes issued a statement to “confirm discussions regarding a potential future acquisition”. “Negotiations are ongoing though at this stage there is no certainty that an agreement will be reached,” it added.

No price was mentioned but a report at the weekend put a tag of £30 million on the bid target.

Betdaq was set up in 2000 by Irish billionaire Dermot Desmond. It is a tiddler compared with Betfair, the pioneer in the field which revolutionised the gambling industry with its peer-to-peer betting exchange, allowing customers not only to bypass traditional bookies but to be the bookie themselves.

There was some City scepticism today that this latest deal will take Ladbrokes where it wants to go.

Broker Daniel Stewart said in a note: “Though we see this as a positive step to solving issues in the online business, our concern is that a betting exchange needs liquidity. Betfair is a clear leader in the field of betting exchanges and therefore in our view it will prove difficult to compete.” Daniel Stewart says the shares are a clear Sell, setting a price target of 140p. Today the stock was up 0.9p at 203.1p.